It’s one of the first things I have my clients add to their routine. And that’s because it’s an essential part of balancing your energy and opening yourself to a more aligned purpose.
Nearly every ancient culture had a reverence to the Earth. The Greeks referred to her as Goddess Gaia. The Baltics had Zemes Mate. The Incas had PachaMama.
In many ways our modern society keeps us in sterilized environments that separate us from the pulse of the Earth. We live in high rise apartments and drive on paved roads. It’s possible for weeks to pass without our feet hitting real ground. We went from a species that carefully tended plants and animals, to a culture that rarely knows where their food came from.
The earth is a complex energetic force. Like a mother, it provides the building blocks of life, both in actual elemental components, such as carbon and oxygen, but in further, exceptional ways. She nurtures. She provides sustenance. And in our final bodily acts, she receives our bodies back to continue our physical cycle.
Grounding is a powerful practice that is both rooted in science and spirituality.
The Earth has a relatively stable negative charge, maintained in part by the Earth’s own magnetic field. Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles that can move freely within conductive materials. Our body is a conductive material.
Our body is also full of molecules called free radicals. These are the source of most damage to cells and therefore disease. Free radicals are unstable, having unpaired electrons.
So, when we ground, electrons from the Earth conduct up into our bodies, add on the missing electron to the free radicals. This is a stabilizing force. It has been suggested that grounding can improve sleep, immune system modulation, and reduce inflammation (the root of most diseases).
On the opposite site of the same coin is the spirituality of grounding. You carry a spark of the divine within you. It’s that beautiful life force that animates us all. The Earth is absolutely teeming with this divinity. Depending on your spiritual beliefs, this can mean different things, but the reality of grounding is reconnecting with source.
Let’s take a look at a basic grounding practice. You do not need expensive classes or aids. Grounding is a birthright as a human being on the Earth. Developing a constant, loving relationship with the Earth can have profound impacts on your life. As your practice grows, so will your connection.
Simple Grounding Steps:
1. Make Contact with the Earth
Begin by finding a place where you can make contact with the earth. I recommend sitting and removing your shoes, but you can connect while standing.
2. Connect with your Breath.
Close your eyes and shift your focus onto your breathing. Create awareness of your breath filling your lungs. Be aware of your belly rising and falling with the inhale and exhale of breath. Allow yourself to audibly sigh as you exhale. This is cleansing and helps you to let go.
3. Grow Roots.
Once you feel centered, feel the connection of your body with the ground below you. Imagine that you have roots growing out from your body deep down in the earth.
4. Feel the Exchange
Start to focus on the energy coursing through your body. Release anything negative into the Earth, where it will cleanse the negativity away. Feel the Earth’s nourishing energy filling your body. Remain in this exchange for as long as you like.
5. Express Gratitude.
Take a moment to thank the Earth for all that it gives you. And don’t forget to thank yourself for taking time for this practice!
Grounding practices can become more involved as your practice grows, such as adding in intentions or mantras, but this basic grounding practice is an excellent jumping off point. Happy Grounding!
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Auctor neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec nam. Arcu odio ut sem nulla. Leo duis ut diam quam. Ut porttitor leo a diam. At in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Facilisis gravida neque convallis a cras semper auctor neque. Elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Pulvinar neque laoreet suspendisse interdum. Massa enim nec dui nunc mattis enim ut. Vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel elit scelerisque. Dictum fusce ut placerat orci. Eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus.
Pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Urna nec tincidunt praesent semper. Sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum quisque. Sit amet aliquam id diam. Vulputate dignissim suspendisse in est ante in nibh mauris. Amet luctus venenatis lectus magna fringilla urna porttitor rhoncus dolor. At erat pellentesque adipiscing commodo elit at imperdiet dui. Viverra adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi. Viverra mauris in aliquam sem. Arcu vitae elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed. Sed nisi lacus sed viverra. Ligula ullamcorper malesuada proin libero. Tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed enim ut sem. Sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas. Et tortor at risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim. Est lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Aliquam etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non consectetur.
Et tortor at risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus. Facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim. Est lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Aliquam etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non consectetur.
Urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus. Sapien et ligula ullamcorper malesuada. Pellentesque pulvinar pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et. Elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt vitae. Congue quisque egestas diam in arcu cursus euismod. Malesuada fames ac turpis egestas integer eget aliquet nibh. Faucibus et molestie ac feugiat. At lectus urna duis convallis convallis tellus. Nibh nisl condimentum id venenatis. Et odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla. Donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non sodales. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla. Sit amet justo donec enim diam vulputate ut pharetra sit. Quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam. Tortor consequat id porta nibh venenatis cras sed. Aenean euismod elementum nisi quis.
Tellus cras adipiscing enim eu. Eget egestas purus viverra accumsan. Scelerisque mauris pellentesque pulvinar pellentesque habitant morbi tristique. Vestibulum morbi blandit cursus risus at. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor. Nisi scelerisque eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut. Rhoncus aenean vel elit scelerisque mauris. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis. Proin libero nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis. Arcu cursus vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel. Facilisi cras fermentum odio eu feugiat.
Purus gravida quis blandit turpis cursus. At imperdiet dui accumsan sit amet. Magna sit amet purus gravida quis blandit turpis cursus. Euismod elementum nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing. Amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant morbi tristique. Ac ut consequat semper viverra nam. Sed blandit libero volutpat sed cras ornare arcu. Neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec. Amet facilisis magna etiam tempor orci. Id interdum velit laoreet id donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non. Id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Sit amet cursus sit amet. Egestas pretium aenean pharetra magna ac placerat vestibulum lectus mauris. Dictum fusce ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit. Eu augue ut lectus arcu bibendum. Sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit volutpat. Quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus. Lectus vestibulum mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper. Pharetra vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor sed viverra. Vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut tristique et egestas.